It ends Mark McVeigh’s tenure as GWS interim coach with a 4-9 record, although the side’s increased performance level in the back-half of the season has made him a genuine candidate for the permanent position.

The Giants end their campaign with a 6-16 record, and face an off-season full of movement as they seek to appoint a new coach and deal with a number of players who are rumoured to want out of the club.

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Earlier, they’d skipped away as Jesse Hogan kicked the contest’s first two goals, while a running long-bomb from captain Callan Ward had them 20 points clear.

Walters answered with an important major before quarter time, but three goals in three minutes early in the second stanza had the Giants ahead by 31.

But three late goals before the main break - including a second from Walters – got them back within 12, before the first two of the third term had them leading.

Port thrash Crows in Gray’s AFL swansong

Port Adelaide great Robbie Gray has kicked two goals in a 56-point trouncing of arch foe Adelaide to finish his decorated AFL career on a triumphant note.

Gray also had a hand in four other goals – and missed two regulation set shots – in Port’s win at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

Gray’s teammates Connor Rozee (34 disposals, 11 inside 50s, one goal), Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines (34 possessions, one goal) and Zak Butters (26 touches, nine clearances, one goal) were midfield forces.

Winger Karl Amon was another standout with 31 disposals and a goal in what’s expected to be his last game for the Power before requesting a trade to a Melbourne-based club, while Todd Marshall slotted four goals.

Port, after being beaten preliminary finalists in the past two seasons, will finish 11th on the ladder.

The Crows will likely end their season in 14th spot, missing the finals for the fifth consecutive year.

Before a sell-out 50,090-strong crowd, Adelaide’s Jordan Dawson (22 disposals), Rory Laird (26 touches) and Darcy Fogarty, who kicked three first-half goals, battled gamely against the Port tide.

But the Crows, after trailing by seven points at half-time, were swamped in the second half when the Power kicked 11 goals to three.

The spree came after a tight first half when Fogarty’s triple treats kept the Crows in the contest.

Port led by one-point at quarter-time, 2.4 to 2.3, with Gray having a hand in both his side’s goals – handballs in the scoring chains.

In the second stanza, Gray threaded a 45-metre set shot from a tight angle to delight the pro-Power crowd.

Adelaide’s Fogarty then booted consecutive goals after two strong contested marks taken under great heat from Port captain Tom Jonas.

But Port, after leading 5.7 to 4.6 at half-time, accelerated in the third stanza.

They scored four consecutive goals with four-time All Australian and triple club champion Gray triggering the avalanche with a left-footed goal from an acute angle.

And after leading by 28 points at three-quarter-time, Port ran amok in the last term with seven goals to two as the Crows’ season ended with barely a whimper.

AAP

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